Door closer



pril 25, 1933. W. F. FOSTER 399059972 DOOR CLOSER Filed June l, 1932 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 WALTER YFfIEOSTEIt, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFRNIA Doon CLOSER Appueaaon idaune 1, 1932. serial No. 614,660.

ers of the* springt actuated type.'v

The" principal objects 'of the invention are to provide a vcloser which isadapted for concealment in the door or door frame, and which operates `with a steady uniform motion with sufficient force to completely close the door but'without causing undue slamming. Another object is to provide acloser which is adaptable, by a simple 'changein assembly, for' either lightV or heavy doors. A further object is to -providea spring of sufficient length inl proportion' to the extent of its'iiexing, so that 'its force isnot materiallyre'- duced as the door approaches closedposition, and so that the elastic limitof the spring is not approached atanytime, resulting in long life; Y Stillfurther objects are to'p'i'ovide a convenient and accessible adjustable-take up for the' fixed end oftheiexible tension member, and an adjustment for the tension of the spring. y

Other objects and' advantages of the `invention will becomev apparent from the following speciiication, which shouldbe read with the understandingthat changes, within the limitsof the clai'mshereto appended, maybe madein the form,'construction and arrangement of the several parts, without departing from the spirit of. theinvention as defined i-n saidclaims; i v

`A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be4 described withreference to the Y accompanying drawing, wherein, Y 35' 1 is a horizontal section showing ai door and ldoor"frameconnected by my closer...

Fig. 2 isa vertical section taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1. A Figf is a vertical sectional detail illus Ltultrating a modified form of the mechanism Referring more particularly to the draw ing, 'the referencenumerals *5 and 6k `designate the two members ofa door and door frame assembly, connected by'a hinge'f?. Eer purposes of this description, the memberl 5b will be referred to as the door and 6 as 'the frame, but said members are to be regarded asinterchangeable in so far as the'inst'alla.` tion and operation of my closer is concerned.

The closer comprises a casing Smortised into the frame 6 ,and containing the operating mechanism to be later described, and an anchormembe-r 9 mortised into the door. A, flexible tension member, preferably a chainr l, 10, has one end securedl to the anchor member o0 9 and the other end connected with the closer` mechanism within the casing V8, by which itis placed under tension to close the door. i

The anchor member 9 has a face plate 11, and-is provided with an aperture l2through 65 which the end of the chain 10is inserted.A A pawl 13 is pivoted at 14 in a slot in the side of the anchor member, and has `a notched end."

15 adapted to engage a link of the chain. A flat spring 16 holds said pawl in engagement 7`0'v l with said chain. The pawl is so shaped that the chain can be pushed into the aperture 12 of the anchor member, but cannot be withdrawn therefrom except by inserting'a flat bladed instrument (not shown) beside saidf'ni chain and lpressing the pawl out of engage!v ment therewith. This construction provides simple means for assembling the chain'v'vith` the anchor member andV for adjustingthe eff fective length of said chain. The anchor member is firstV inserted in thedoor with ,the chain removed, and the end of said chain is then pushed into the aperture in said anchor member to the desired point, the pawl autog54A shown in' the`upper righthand corner of i 4.5 beingomitted for the sake o'fclear'ne'ss'.`

matically lockingvit therein. If the'chain is too long, it can be shortened merely by pushing in `until the pawlengages the next link; if too short, the pawl can be releasedby .,y., the insertion of the flatbladed'instrument re- 90 ferred to above, and the chain withdrawn one or more links.

The casing 8, inserted in the door frame 2, has a face plate 17 and a vertical cylindrical guide barrel 18, preferably connected with said face plate by a rib 19. A. spindle 2O is rotatable in said guide barrel and has an end thrust bearing 21 at the upper end thereof. The upper end of the spindle has secured upon it two sprockets 22 and 23, one above the other, operating within a chamber 241 in the upper portion of the casing 8. The upper sprocket 22 engages the chain 1U, said chain entering the chamber 2t through an aperture 25 in the face plate 1'? and being held in engagement with said sprocket 22 by the side wall of the casing.

The lower end of the spindle 20 is provided with steep pitched threads 26, which engage a nut 27 slidable in the barrel 18. A helical spring 28, shown only in Fig. 2, is housed within said barrel, and forces the nut 27 downwardly. lThe lower porticn of the nut-v has a tenen 29 which tits slidably in a slot 30 in plug 81, the latter being screwed into 33 the lov-Jerend of the barrel 18 and locked in position'by a set screw 32. r[he threads 26 are so formed that, when the door is opened and the chain 10 is pulled outwardly, the consequent rotation of the spimlle 2 0 causes the 'Q'lnut27 to rise, compressing` the spring 28. The. expansion of said spring, :forcing tic nut down, rotates the spindle in the reverse direction, thereby drawing in the chain and 35 closing the door.

tenon 29 with the slot 30 in the plug 31 prevents thenut from turning, the length ot said tenon being so proportioned that it does notk rise entirely out ot' said slot even upon max# 40 imum'moveinent of the chain. The compression of the spring can be adj usted by screwing the `plug 31 up or down,

In order to maintain'adequate engagement between the chain 10 and the sprocket 22,V l

provide a second pair of sprockets 22 and 23 Y'lirrthe rear portion of the chamber2st, and an endless chainV surrounding and engaging both lower sprockets 23 and 2S. `The end of the tension chain 10 is attached to the endless chain 33, preferably by having the pins of several of its endmost links extendv continuously through the links of the endless chain. forced, by its attachment to the endless chain to follow around and engage the upper r2-rear sprocket 22.

`Wh1en the device is to be used upona heavy door., the rear sprockets 22 and` 23 are secured upon a spindle 20, which is 'rotatable 50 in a guide barrel 18 similar to the barrel 18. vSaid4 spindle has a thrust bearing 21"',r a

threaded end 262e nut 2.7, said init has a tenon 23 engaging a slot B0 in a screw plug 31 locked by a set screw 32, all these parts being identical in construcr.lhe enG'aO'ement of the` t) El lhetension ehainfl() is thusY a spring 28, and' tion and operation to the corresponding parts associated with the barrel 18. Both spindles 2() and 20', therefore, are rotated simultaneously during the movement of the door, and both springs exert a closing force thereon.

The rear guide barrel 18 however, is removable from the casing 8, being secured thereto by a threaded connection 35 at its upper end and a clamp 36 connecting it with the front barrel 18. l/Vhen the device is to be used upon a light door, the rear barrel 18 and all its interior parts are removed. A plug 37,' Fig. 3, is screwed into the casing 8 in place of said barrel 18', and said plug has an upstanding stud 38 upon which the sprockets 22 and 23 arerotatably mounted. In this modification, the sprockets 22 and 23-function merely as idlers to guide the chains 10 and 33. Thus the same casing 8 is used for' both light and heavy door closer-s; forlight doors, the rear barrel 18. and its associated parts are omitted, but for heavy doors these members arev attached, thereby doubling the eiective closing force of the der vice. This utilization ot the same casing for both types makes for economyin turing.

v It is to be noted lthat the total movement` of the nut is relatively small inproportion to the length of the spring. The spring,- therefore, exerts practically the same force? throughout its entire range oitmovement, and is not weakened by being stressedibeyond its,

elastic limit. Moreover, the friction of the nut upon the threaded .portion of the spindle on the c hain resulting tive closing of the door. v The device is entirely concealed when the door is closed and, being positioned in the rear edge of' the door and the adjacent jamb of the trame, is inconspicuous when the doorPv is open. The eiiective .length of the chain width, and within certain limits, to vary'the screwingV the plug 31 up or down.

I claim v '1. A door closer comprising ak casing se-V cured to one member of a hinge connectedv door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a pair of sprockets mounted insaid casing; an endless lchain' surrounding and engaging said sprockets; a second chain having one end conf nected with said endless chain and the other end secured to said anchor; and resilient means associated with one of said sprockets manufac-l` acts as a. governor to prevent too'rapid clos ing and slamming of the door. These twoeilfects, viz the almost constant force of the springend the governor action of the screw and nut, combine to produce a steady .pull in a smooth but posi-` for rotating it in a direction to close the door.

2. A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a pair of sprockets mounted in said casing; an endless chain surrounding and engaging said sprockets; a second pair of sprockets axially aligned with and adjacent to the first pair; a second chain having one end secured to said anchor and its other end secured to said endless chain, said second chain engaging said second pair of sprockets; and resilient means associated with one of said sprockets for rotating it in a direction to close the door.

3. A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a rotatable spindle having a threaded portion within said casing; a nut engaging the threads of said spindle; a movable adjusting member having sliding engagement with said nut to prevent the latter from turning; means for locking said adjusting member; a spring bearing resiliently against said nut for moving it axially upon said spindle to rotate the latter; and a flexible connecting member engaged by said spindle and moved longitudinally by the rotation thereof, one endV of said flexible member being attached to said anchor. v

4l. A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a rotatable spindle having a threaded portion within said casing; a nut engaging the threads of said spindle, said nut having a projecting tenon at one end; a threaded plug axially aligned with said nut, said plug being screwed into said casing and provided with a slot having sliding engagement with said tenon to prevent rotation of said nut; a spring bearing resiliently against said nut for moving it axially upon said spindle to rotate the latter; and a. flexible connecting member engaged by said spindle and moved longitudinally by the rotation thereof, one end of said flexible member being attached to said anchor.

5. A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a pair of guide barrels associated with said casing, one of said barrels being removable; a rotatable threaded spindle in each barrel; a nut threaded upon each spindle, said nuts being slidable but non-rotatable within said barrels; springs within said barrels for moving said nuts, thereby rotating said spindles; and a flexible connecting member engaged by said spindles and moved longitudinally `by the rota-tion thereof, 'one end of said flexible member being` attached to said anchor. 6.' A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured-to the Vother member thereof; a

sprocket mounted in said casing; an endless chain' surrounding said sprocket; guide mea-ns forkeeping said chain in engagement with said sprocket; a flexible tension member having one end connected with said chain and theiother end secured to said anchor; and resilient means associated with said sprocket for rotating it in a direction to close the door.

7. A door closer comprising a casing secured to one member of a hinge connected door and door frame assembly; an anchor secured to the other member thereof; a sprocket mounted in said casing; an endless chain surrounding said sprocket; guide means for keeping said chain in engagement with said sprocket; a flexible tension member having one end connected with said chain and the other end secured to said anchor; a rotatable threaded spindle upon which said sprocket is fix-ed; a slidable non-rotatable nut threaded upon said spindle; and a helical spring surrounding said spindle and acting against said nut for rotating said spindle and sprocket in a direction to close the door.

8. ln a door controlling device wherein a spring tensioned flexible member controls the movement of the door: an anchor member for engaging one end of the flexible member and having an aperture for the insertion of said flexible member therethrough to any desired extent, said "anchor member having means for automatically locking said flexible member against withdrawal therefrom, whereby the spring tension of the flexible member may be varied in its control of the door movement.

9. In a door closing device wherein a flexible member secured at one end to a spring tension means controls the movement of a door relative to its frame: an anchor member for securing the other end of the flexible member, said anchor member being recessed for reception of the flexible member therein vto any desired degree, and a locking member carried by said anchor member for engaging said flexible member, said locking member cooperating with said recess to permit free insertion of said flexible member thereinto and automatically locking said flexible member against outward movement relative toments, said anchor member being recessed for reception of the chain therein to any dei sred degree, and a spring pressed pawl pivotally mounted on said anchor member and Vhearing against said chain, said paWl coop- -eratlng with the recess to permit free insertion of the chain thereinto and automatically locking the chain against outward movement relative to said anchor member, whereby the spring tension of the chain may ybe varied in automatically closing the door.

,Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to :this specification.

` ALTER F. FOSTER.

moest-,2 

